Torres renews 2 executive orders to fight pandemic
Saying that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services continues its public health emergency indicating that federal public health officials still see COVID-19 as a threat to public health, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has renewed for 30 days his two executive orders that he first issued in 2020 due to the imminent threat posed by the pandemic.
Torres said he believes renewals of two executive orders are warranted after consulting with the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office and other agencies.
The governor renewed last week Executive Order 2020-04 declaring a State of Public Health Emergency and State of Significant Emergency to establish response, quarantine, and preventive containment measures concerning COVID-19.
He also renewed Executive Order 2020-07, which ordered the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management Office, through the CNMI COVID-19 Task Force in partnership with the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp., to undertake necessary containment measures by means of the development of emergency directives to protect the health and safety of the public.
Torres said as the CNMI continues to open up its economy to tourists from Asia markets, the chance of COVID-19 pandemic once again spreading in the community is heightened.
He noted that as of last June and July, a wave of COVID-19 infections have spread throughout the community.